No Charges for Not Reporting Sexual Misconduct in Ohio District

No charges will be filed against two Morrow County elementary-school principals and one teacher who had been under investigation for failing to report sexual misconduct at the school, the Morrow County prosecutor said yesterday.

The principals, Deborah Knechtly and Shawn Winkelfoos, both principals at Highland Elementary School in the Highland Local School District, have been on paid administrative leave since Oct. 19. A teacher, Karen Fowler, had not been placed on leave, but also was being investigated by the Morrow County sheriff’s office.

The three will not face criminal charges because they were confused about whether they had to report the sexual misconduct, Morrow County Prosecutor Charles Howland said in a news release.

Howland said the educators were confused because the inappropriate sexual advances came from a student.